Car Review: 2011 Cadillac CTS Coupe

Originally published: September 28, 2010

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Cadillac has a long history of famous coupes including the ’59 Eldorado whose iconic tail fins are often used to symbol of a golden era for American automobile production and prosperity. It’s been eight years since an Eldorado Coupe last graced a Cadillac new car showroom, but a Coupe is back for 2011.

Cadillac has expanded its successful rear-drive CTS line up to include a sexy two-door version. While nothing like its older predecessor, the CTS reflects the dramatic changes that have also taken place within the prestigious luxury car division of General Motors.

The CTS line has transformed Cadillac and made it far more appealing to younger buyers. Its sharp and very distinctive styling lines are augmented by a rigid chassis and a sport tuned suspension. Two high-output V6’s and a V8 borrowed from the Corvette are the engine choices, a manual transmission is offered and the interior is decidedly driver focused, yet still luxurious.

The Cadillac CTS line started with a four-door sedan (back in 2003) and was expanded to include a high performance CTS-V, which Cadillac claim is the fastest production four-door sedan in the world. A second generation CTS was introduced in 2008, a wagon version was added last year and the Coupe is the latest addition.

My test CTS Coupe (base price $47,450) came with a 6-speed automatic transmission included in a (Premium) Preferred Equipment ($7,085) package, a Sport ($1,770) packages plus a special “Tintcoat” paint ($1,295). All of which pushed its price up to $59,250, including fees and delivery charges.

The base CTS sedan comes with a 3.0-litre (270-horsepower) V6 engine and a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. The CTS-V coupe comes with a 6.2-litre (556-horsepower) supercharged V8 engine and a horde of other performance components.

The Coupe comes with a 3.6-litre V6 that has all the latest engine technology including four valves per cylinder, variable valve timing and direct fuel injection. It can produce 304 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 273 lb-ft of torque at 5300 rpm, on regular fuel.

The standard transmission on the CTS Coupe is a six-speed manual and there’s also an all-wheel-drive edition.

The Looks: Nicely proportioned and lower than the sedan, the CTS Coupe has the same sharply chiselled and very distinctive styling lines. While the coupe’s wheelbase is the same as the sedan, the body is a little shorter and it has a wider rear track.

The Coupe’s front windshield is also more steeply raked than the sedan and so is its rear window. Centrally positioned dual-exhaust pipes is another distinctively coupe feature. Its extra-large doors also have unusual and hidden push-button latch releases instead of conventional door handles.

There’s a similar electric latch release on the lower lip of the trunk lid. The cargo space was smaller than anticipated, the opening is on the narrow side and space has to be left for large hinges that can crush items stowed in the trunk when the lid is closed.

The Inside: The Coupe’s dash is much like the sedan with a three-pod instrument cluster, with a combination of analog and digital readouts, in front of the driver. A centrally positioned chrome-ringed analog time clock adds a touch of elegance and above it there’s a partially hidden pop-up monitor.

The centre console flows nicely into the dash and it houses cleverly positioned climate controls and seat heat/cool controls for the front seating positions. Other than the console box there’s limited storage spots and the door pockets are small.

The front bucket seats are generously sized and you sit lower, more sports car like, than in the sedan. Getting into the back seat of a coupe is never easy, but the CTS Coupe is particularly awkward. The front seats don’t have a single-action fold forward feature and front seatbelt, which is attached to the front seat, gets in the way.

The two rear seating positions look inviting and are nicely padded and upholstered. Head and leg room is limited, however, so it’s more of an occasional use or kids seating location.

On the plus side, in general the cabin has a roomy feel and front seat positions have a generous range of adjustments. Combined with a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a comfortable driving poison is easy to achieve.

Safety: The front passenger is protected by a unique dual-depth design of air bag that is even more effective at reducing injuries in a vehicle collision. The OnStar system with its security and emergency features is another GM exclusive.

The Drive: The driving position is excellent with an excellent range of adjustments on the seats for taller than average drivers. Rear vision through the Coupe’s steeply raked rear window is limited and the side mirrors are small, so the rear view camera came in very handy.

The sport package on my test CTS Coupe stiffened the ride but it was still comfortable. The body feels rock solid over rough roads and this car tracks a straight line extremely well, which is always a confidence builder.

The steering is on the light side yet has a precise action and the CTS Coupe is reasonably agile for a vehicle its size and weight. It does feel heavier than most of its competitors and could pull better at low engine speeds.

The transmission shifts smoothly but if you want to drive more enthusiastically the manual mode is the way to go, as the engine livens up considerably above 4,000 rpm. Manual shifts are via steering wheel-mounted buttons on the back of the steering wheel. Here again the action is not as crisp as some competitors and a sport automatic mode would be a good addition.

The Score: It’s all about style and Cadillac CTS Coupe certainly has a head turning edgy body design, a beautiful interior and it’s priced competitively in its class.